Nom de l'évènement
Extraterrestrial Subsurface Exploration and Geomicrobiology

Dates de l'évènement
25/05/2015 - 28/05/2015
Toute la journée

Site web de l'évènement

Lieu
Meeting

Registration and abstract deadline: 17th April 2015

*Places limited to 40*

The exploration of extraterrestrial subsurface environments is one of the major modern challenges in space exploration. This workshop will explore strategies and approaches to the subsurface exploration of other planetary environments, and the geomicrobiology of such habitats. The surrounding region has a large number of diverse mine and cave networks have a range of speleothem, microbial, and mineral features for geomicrobiological research. The first two days of the workshop will involve presentations, round table discussions and poster sessions, with abstracts invited from the following themes:

– Subsurface exploration
– Instruments for extraterrestrial subsurface exploration
– ISS Experiments and radiation geobiology
– Mineral-microbe interactions
– Biogeochemical cycling of bioessential elements on Earth and in Space
– Geobiology and heavy metals/toxicity
– Cave and subsurface geomicrobiology and biosignatures

Invited speakers include Prof. Penny Boston (NMT, cave geomicrobiology), Loredana Bessone (ESA, CAVES Astronaut training programme), and Prof. Charles Cockell (UoE, Mine Analogue Research). The last two days will involve field excursions to the three following sites: Is Zuddas Cave, Su Zurfuru Mine and Su Mannau Cave. The is also an opportunity for people to sample unique and unusual cave environments before and during the workshop.

Registration is 450 Euro, including accommodation (5 nights), breakfast, cave excursions and workshop dinner. To register, please see the following links:

http://www.astrobiology.ac.uk/2015/01/20/subsurfaceworkshop/

http://www.astrobiology.ac.uk/2015/02/05/geolobiologyfirstannouncement/

We hope to see you there!

Claire Cousins, Charles Cockell, Toby Samuels

This meeting is co-organized between the ESA Topical team ‘Geobiology in Space Exploration', the UK Centre for Astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh, the Italian Institute of Speleology at the University of Bologna, the University of Sulcis Iglesiente, and the Geomining Park in Sardinia.